Pacers' offense continues to slip in loss to Bulls

D.J. Augustin #14 of the Chicago Bulls moves against Ian Mahinmi #28 of the Indiana Pacers at the United Center on March 24, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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CHICAGO – Good luck in figuring the best way to describe what the Indiana Pacers are currently experiencing.

A "funk" would be an assault on good music. "Out of rhythm" – a bit redundant. "Slumping" – just bordering on trite.

These words ring hollow after the Pacers' offensive game looked as appealing as digging graves in their 89-77 loss Monday night to the Chicago Bulls. So, after another poor showing veteran forward David West summed it up as plainly as possible.

"We look like sh --," West mumbled.

It was the same scene of drained faces and banged-up bodies slumping in cushioned chairs. West, speaking softly in the locker room, stared absently at his sneakers, then to the wall, and unleashed his stream of consciousness.

"We look terrible tonight as a group. Guys individually, just look so bad. We're naturally a loose group, so it's a little tough to deal with because we don't put any pressure on ourselves. We're just not performing. We're not playing well. We're not shooting the ball well. We're not sharing it and when we're not sharing it, we become stagnant," West said.

"Chicago's not a good offensive team and they made a little run in the third quarter just killed us. And here we are with another loss," he continued. "Thank God we got off to such a great start because we'd be like the fifth seed in the East or something like that."

The Pacers have not played well inside the United Center, so a loss could have been expected.

Yet this wasn't just another slip up on the road, or an encouraging sign of good energy in the wake of the team's 20th loss on the season. This was the continued spiral of poor offensive execution. The Pacers will say they're not screening hard enough or setting up each other well enough. Even more than that, they're not resembling the best team in the Eastern Conference. The Pacers (51-20) now head home for the third installment of the regular-season series against the defending champion Miami Heat while holding a two-game lead for the top spot.

"It was a tough loss," Pacers coach Frank Vogel said. "Credit the Bulls on grinding it out. Taj Gibson (23 points) was the big difference in the game off the bench. Our defense was not bad all night, but we struggled offensively."

Against their defensively domineering and overly emotional rival, the Pacers only mustered 37-percent shooting from the floor. This performance came one game after the ragged Saturday night loss in Memphis in which they toiled to 36.5-percent shooting.

Though the Bulls and the Grizzlies have crafted their identities as strong defensive teams, West would not solely credit Chicago's and Memphis' schemes for the Pacers' problems.

"They're good defensive teams, but we're just playing a bad, bad brand of basketball and it's not very fun to be a part of when we're losing," West said. "When you go back and watch the games, it just doesn't look good. We understand that shot making is going to come and go, but I think it's how we're doing everything. And everybody's got to sort of look at themselves and see what we can do because I think we've done enough talking."

Chicago Bulls guard Kirk Hinrich (12) strips the ball from Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (24) during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 24, 2014, in Chicago. The Bulls won 89-77. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Charles Rex Arbogast AP

CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 24: Evan Trner #12 of the Indiana Pacers moves against Jimmy Butler #21 of the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on March 24, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) Jonathan Daniel Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 24: George Hill #3 of the Indiana Pacers passes under pressure from D.J. Augustin #14 of the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on March 24, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) Jonathan Daniel Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 24: Taj Gibson #22 of the Chicago Bulls shoots over Ian Mahinmi #28 of the Indiana Pacers at the United Center on March 24, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) Jonathan Daniel Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 24: David West #21 of the Indiana Pacers rebounds against the Chicago Bulls at the United Center on March 24, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) Jonathan Daniel Getty Images

CHICAGO, IL - MARCH 24: D.J. Augustin #14 of the Chicago Bulls moves against Ian Mahinmi #28 of the Indiana Pacers at the United Center on March 24, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) Jonathan Daniel Getty Images

Indiana Pacers forward Paul George dunks the ball over Chicago Bulls guard D.J. Augustin (14) as David West (21) watches during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 24, 2014, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Charles Rex Arbogast AP

Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson (22) celebrates after his dunk off a rebound during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers Monday, March 24, 2014, in Chicago. The Bulls won 89-77. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Charles Rex Arbogast AP

Indiana Pacers forward David West (21) is fouled by Chicago Bulls forward Carlos Boozer during the second half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 24, 2014, in Chicago. The Bulls won 89-77. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast) Charles Rex Arbogast AP

Chicago Bulls' Joakim Noah and Mike Dunleavy battle for rebound position against Indiana Pacers' Roy Hibbert in the 1st quarter at the United Center in Chicago on Monday, March 24, 2014, in Chicago. (Scott Strazzante/Chicago Tribune/MCT) Scott Strazzante MCT

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But not nearly enough shot making – especially from Indiana's pair of All-Stars, Roy Hibbert and Paul George.

"This has happened before and we showed resolve," Hibbert said, "but we don't seem to be clicking on the offensive end and it's affecting our defense. Something we got to figure out to be able to win on the road."

Hibbert finished with as many personal fouls as shot attempts – and he missed all five. When Chicago knocked down seven shots in its first eight possessions of the second half to open a double-digit lead, the Pacers would find opportunities to pull back into the game, but Hibbert wasn't around long enough to be a factor. Before the middle of the quarter, Hibbert picked up his fourth foul and exited the court.

But while Hibbert stayed in foul trouble, George searched for foul calls.

Just when Lance Stephenson went on a personal 6-0 run and the Pacers trailed just 55-49, George stripped the next possession from Chicago's Carlos Boozer and started a potential fast break that could have pulled the Pacers within four. However, George meekly went one-on-one against Kirk Hinrich and the more aggressive player won the matchup. Not the 360-spinning, otherworldly athletic dynamo, but the 6-4 point guard in protective eyewear, and as Hinrich ripped the ball out of his hands, George threw both arms into the air in frustration, pleading for a whistle. However, during George's protest, the Bulls charged down court and Gibson thunderously slammed home a miss that fired up the sold-out crowd of 21,803 and forced Indiana coach Frank Vogel to call timeout.

"A lot of shots tonight," George said later, "I wish I could've took back."

In nearly 41 minutes, George scored a team-high 21 points, but he needed 22 attempts.

"I had opportunities and I was attacking the basket," he said. "I just told myself to play how I used to play. Get back to being how I started this year off."

However, as a unit, the Pacers have little time to turn back the clock. Only 11 games remain in the regular season before the playoffs begin – only 11 games to discover what's really wrong.

"Everybody can be better. I can be better. Try to do more. Just details," West said. "We just – man, we just look like sh--. The type of ball, like I said, if you go back and watch the games, it's just not a good brand of basketball to watch. We're not playing the game the right way and teams make us pay for it."